Shoe



March 29 1927.

SHOE

Sheetssheet l Filed Nov. 6. 1926 March' 29 1927' F. HERRMANN s'HoE 2 Sheets-sheet 2 Filed Nov. 6. 1926 Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

'.iia'rrN'ri oFF'lcE;

FRIEDRICH Hausmann; or LnrcoLN, NEBRASKA.

suon.

Application ledlovmber', 1926. Serial No. 146,708.`

This invention relates to shoes and more particularly to a shoe construction for preventing stretching orelongation of theshoe in such manner that it fails to fitl properly around the instep of the wearer.

v A further object of the invention is to provide a method ofrepairing old shoes, the leather of -which hasstretched to a point where the shoe no vlonger properly fits the ankle of the wearer, so that lit will again properly fit. J

-A further objectof the invention is to provide means for so repairing the shoe that the repairs are invisible and are not unconnljfortable to the wearer.

f These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanving drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein i Figure 1 is a plan view of a shoe, the vamp of which has stretched, so that it no longer fits;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the l5 first step of the method completed; I

Figure 3 is "a perspective view showing the second s tep completed;

Figure 4 is a perspectives view showing lthe vamp .as secured to the tape and shrunk into position thereon Figure 5 is a plan view of the shoe as completed;l

Flgure 6 is a perspective vlew showing a modified manner of applying the tape;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sec-tional View y through the vamp of the shoe aft-er the vamp has been secured tothe tape.

AReferring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1()` designates the vamp of a low sh'oe which, immediately in advance of the counter 11, has bulges 12 caused by stretching of the material of the vamp `In order to remove the bulges in accordance with my invention, the lining 45213 of the vshoe is first separated from the` vamp and counter, all severed stitches being carefully removed. In this operatlon',

care is taken not to -stretch the lining.A Twov sections of unstretchable twill tape, preferablyof 'the same c olor as the'shoe and of; a length slightly greater than the chordal lengthl of the bulge, are then prepared by placing rubber cement upon one face-there- ,of and allowing the tape to dry yfor about ve minutes. While rubber cement is preand the leather of the shoe has been smoothferred, any cement may be employed which will' not harden leather. Upon the opposed exposed portion of the inner face of the vamp and counter at the tops thereof, a Y, band of cement is applied of the same 50 width las the tape and likewisel allowed to dry for about five minutes. Each tape is thenplaced in the shoe with'the cemented side next to the shoe` the top ot the vtape being flush with the. top edge of the shoe, so that in restitching the lining to the vamp and counter, thefstitches will pass through the tape. These tapes are so stretched ythat they extend chordally of the bulges 12 and are firmly secured at their ends, lThe vamp is .then firmly pressed against the outer face of the tape, .working from the forward ends of the tapes\ toward the rear ,endsl thereof, until the tape adheres to the shoe ly placed in position, as more particularly shown in Figure 4f;4 After the tapes and vamp are properly joined, cement is placed on the exposed side'of the tapes and the 1inng'replaced at once against the tape being worked into position until itis smoothly engaged therewith throughout the lengths of the tape. The vampand counter are then sewed to the tape and lining to restore the shoe to its original condition.

'.Vh'ile I have above called for the use of two -tapes, one disposed at each side of the' shoe, i'f desired, a single tape can be employed which'is passed entirely about the counter ofthel shoe, as'shown in Figure 6. Where this construction is employed; if the tape is wide, it is often necessary to notch the lower edge thereof in order that the'tape may not have uncomfortable engagement with the heel through the lining. While this process has been described, as employed with a shoe which has been stretched in use, it maybe employed with advantage in the fitting' of new shoes which are loose about the heel or ankle. High shoes may be cut down for use as low shoes and reconstructed bythis process to fit closely about the ankle.

It will be obvious that a shoe embodyingr .altape positioned in accordance with the above directions will be substantially unstretchable in the counter and will'accord-u ingly properly fit the foot at all times.

Sincecertam changes are possible in the method hereinbeforedescribed without de? edge thereof and the lining' parting .from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself .to sueh a specific method except as hereinafter claimed.

l. The method of removing bulges caused by the stretching` of the Vamps of shoesconsisting in providing a strip of unstret'chable tape of slightly less length than that portion of the vamp forming the bulge, securing the ends of the strip to the shoe at the upper so that the vstrip exends chordally of the bulge and causing the leather of the ramp to smoothly engage and adhere to said tape.

2. The method of removing bulges caused by the stretching of the vamps of shoes consistintY in p'rovidinzgr a 'strip of unstretchable tape of slightly less length than `that port-ion of the vamp formingf the bulge, securingT thc ends of the strip to the shoe at-the upper edgepbetwcen the vamp and liningr Athereof so that the strip extends chordally of the bulge and causingr the leather of the vamp adhere to said tape.

3. The method of removing bulges caused by the stretching of the vamps oflovv shoes eonsisting'in separating the lining from the vamp at and adjacent both sides of the bulge,

j to smoothly engage and providing a strip of unstretchable tape of slightly less length than that portion of the i vamp forming the bulge, sec11ring the ends of the strip to the vamp and counter of the shoe at the upper edge thereof so that the strip extends chordally of the bulge, causing the leather of the vamp to smoothly engage and adhere to said tape, so that it smoothly' providing a strip of unstretchable tape of slightly less length than that portion of the vamp forming the bulge, secu/ringnthe ends of the strip to the vamp and counter of the shoe at theI upper edge thereof so that the strip-extends ehordally of the bulge, causing the leather to the vamp to smoothly engage and adhere to said tape, so that it smoothly engages the same and correspondingly connecting the lining to the tape and stitching the vampand lining t0 one another to the tape.

Intestimony whereof I hereunto atiiX my signature.

FRIEDRICH HERRMANN. 

